According to the CDC, more than 700,000 causes of emergency visits in 2006 are due to unintentional poisoning, 25% of these incidents required hospitalization or transfer to another care facility.

For emergency responders, these numbers can be alarming. Since paramedics are the first persons on the scene, it is important for them to know the most common substances unintentionally and intentionally used by poison victims. These information are necessary for instituting the proper interventions.

Also, the public should be educated on the facts and fallacies regarding first aid treatment for poisoning like the use of ipecac syrup, which may not only cause more harm than good, but also decrease the tolerance for the use of activated charcoal and poison control measures.